Heating and ventilating unit



Feb. 16, 1932. E. H. cox 1,845,243

HEATING AND VENTILATING UNIT Filed June 17, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet lgl-nwnto'o abtonmq Feb. 16, 1932. v E. H. cox 1,845,243

HEATING AND VENTILATING UNIT 'Filed June 17, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb;16, 1932. E. H. cox 1,845,243

HEATING AND VENTILATING UNIT Patented Feb. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES EDWARDH. COX, KENMORE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES V.

PATENT OFFICE DAMON, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK HEATING .AN D VENTILATING UNIT Application filed June 17, 1930. Serial No. 461,823.

This invention relates to heating devices in the nature of radiators andparticularly to a heating unit of the radiator type preferably disposedin the wall of a building but discharging into the room.

The general object of the invention is to provide a heater of thisgeneral type wherein fresh air may be drawn in from the exterior of thebuilding and directed past the radiator and discharged out through theeasing enclosing the radiator and so into the room or whereby the inletof fresh air may be cut and the air within the room allowed to circulatethrough the radiator.

A further object is to provide a construction of this character havingan electrically operated fan positively drawing the fresh air into theroom and discharging it through the radiator and providing in connectionwith this fan a damper, this damper when the fan is operating beingautomatically shifted to prevent the circulation of air from the roomthrough the radiator and when the fan is switched ofi' automaticallyclosing to prevent the inlet of fresh air to the room and allowing thecirculation of air within the room.

A further object is to provide, in combination, a concealed gravity typeheating unit with a mechanically operated ventilating system adaptableto homes, ofiices, stores, hospitals, schools, etc.

Another object is to provide for a positive supplyof heated fresh airwhereby the room is heated at the same time that it is ventilated.

A further object'is to provide a concealed heating unit in combinationwith a ventilation system which does not require any floor space, and toprovide a construction of this character which is adapted economicallyto all types of buildings where heating is re quired and whereby theadditional feature of providing fresh air can be had at a minimumexpense, and further to provide an apparatus of this character of suchconstruction that the temperature of the room may be manually orautomatically controlled and provide for filtering the incoming freshair if desired.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

' describe.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure1 is a front elevation of a heater and ventilator constructed inaccordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of the electric connections to thedamper operating mechanism.

Referring to these drawings, designates a portion of the wail of abuilding and 11 the floor line thereof, 12 designating the window casingand the window sillyof the building. In the wall of the building at anysuitable distance below the window sill there is disposed a fresh airintake 13.

The wall is so formed as to provide a recess 14 of any suitablecharacter wherein is disposed the heating unit which I will now Thisunit is contained within the casing 15. The upper end of this casing isformed with a discharge grille 16 on the face of the casing opening intothe room. The lower end of the casing is formed with a grille 17 wherebythe cold air of the room may be passed into and through the heatingunit. Disposed within the casing 15 is a radiator or heater 18 of anysuitable character. This maybe a steam radiator, a hot water radiator,an electric radiator or any heater and I do not wish to be limited toany particular form of heater. This heater is disposed above the inlet17. The lower end of the casing 15 is shown as angularly extended as at19 toward the opening 13 and has an opening to receive air from thisopening 13. Disposed in the opening 13 is preferably a louvre 20 of anysuitable or usual construction so as to prevent the entrance of rain orsnow.

Preferably disposed at the inlet opening of the offsetportion 19 of thecasing is an air filter 21 of any suitable or desired character.Disposed immediately in front of the filter and at the lower end of thecasing 15 is a fan housing 22 containing a rotary fan 23 of any suitablecharacter which is driven by a motor 24. Preferably, there will be twofans-23 as illustrated in Figure 1 and the motor will be disposedbetween these fans. Hingedly mounted at 25 is a damper 26 which whenturned inward will close the discharge opening from housing 22 and whenturned outward to its full extent will close the opening 17, that is,prevent air entering this opening 17 from passing upward through thisradiator.

This damper 26v carries upon it an arm 27 having a counter-weight 28,this counter-- weight normally urges the damper inwardly to its freshair closing position. For the purpose of opening the damper, I providean arm 29 on the damper which is connected by a link 30 to a solenoidcore 31 disposed within the coil 32. When this coil is energized, thecore will be drawn downwardly, shifting the damper 26 to the positionshown in Figure 4 in full lines. When the solenoid coil is deenergized,the weight 28 will cause the damper to close to the position shown indotted lines in Figure 2.

The solenoid coil 32 is connected in series with the wiring of the motoras shown diagrammatically in Figure 4 and with a source of supply andwith the switch 33. Therefore, it will be seen that when the switch isclosed the motor will be energized and the solenoid will be likewiseenergized, causing the operation of the motor and opening of the damper,that is, the swinging of the damper to a position discharging the airfrom the fan upward through the radiator.

Thus, whenever the motor is energized, the fans will be driven, air willbe drawn in from the exterior of the building and forced up through. thecasing 15 and discharged out through the opening 14, and on the otherhand when the switch is turned to an oft position, the solenoid 32 willbe deenergized,

the motor will also be deenergized and the weight 28 will act to turnthe damper 26 to a closed position so that air from the interior of theroom may pass up through the grille 17 through the heater and outthrough the grille 16.

It will be seen that the grilles 16 and 17 are disposed respectivelyabove and below a metal panel. These grilles and the panel may be madein one piece held in place by screws within the recess formed in thewall so that this panel 34 and the grilles may be readily withdrawn,thus disclosing the entire interior of the casing. It will be also seenfrom F igure 2 that the filter 21, the fan housings 23, the motor, thedamper and the damper actuating mechanism are all mounted upon a singlebase plate 35 so that when the front of the cabinet or casing isremoved, this base plate 35 with the supported parts may be drawn out asa unit and it is obvious from Flgure 2 that if the grille 17 beremovable from beneath the lower end plate or panel 8 1,

that this base plate with the filters, fan housings, etc., may beremoved as .a unit.

It will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited to adischarge grille 16 which is disposed beneath the window sill anddischarges laterally into the'room as the position of this dischargegrille might be changed without departing from the spirit of, theinvention as stated in the claims.

Of course, instead of the radiators getting their heat from a separatesteam or hot water plant, it may be advisable under certain conditionsto make each heater and ventilator an entirely separate unit with waterheated, for instance, by a separate gas or electrical heating element.This would make the device more portable than the fixed type shown inFigure 2 and in the case of being installed in a room where ventilationand heating was not often needed, the gas or electricity could be turnedoff, thus reducing the cost of operation' of the individual-radiator.

Particular attention is called to the fact that I have provided acombined heating and ventilating unit which occupies little or no floorspace. Inasmuch as floor space is becoming more and more valuable, thisis a particularly important feature of my invention.

It will be seen that I have devised a mechanically operated forcedventilating system which may be used either as a gravity type heatingunit or as a force feed heating and ventilating system as desired andthat an air filter of any common or usual construction designated 21 maybe disposed at the inlet for fresh air so as to thoroughly cleanse theair before it passes into the room. It will be obvious that the entiresystem may comprise any number of these heating or ventilating units andthat these all may be controlled by one centrally located switch. Thusall of the heating and ventilating units may be controlled from oneswitch by the engineer of the building or the units of one room or oneseries of rooms might be controlled from a switch common thereto or froma thermostat.

It will further be seen that I have provided a concealed heating unit,provided for a pos1- tive supply of heated fresh air, provided for acombination heating unit and ventilating system which does not requireany floor space, which is flexible so as to adapt itself economically toall types of buildings and. which may use for its source of heat eithersteam, hot water, vapor or electricity.

While I have illustrated certain details of construction andarrangements of parts, I do not wish to be limited thereto as itisobvious that these details may be changed in many Ways withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appendedclaims.

I claim 1. A heating and ventilating unit comprising a heating element,a casing containing the heating element and having a discharge openingand two inlet openings, one of saidinlet openings being connected to asource of fresh air, a motor driven fan disposed to draw air through thelast named opening and discharge it into said casing and through theheating element thereof, a damper adaptcd to be shifted to close or openthe fresh air inlet. and means forcaus'zng the stoppag of the motorsimultaneously with the closing of the damperand the starting of themotor simultaneously with the opening of the damper.

2. A combined ventilating and heating unit comprising a casing having adischarge opening at one end and an inlet opening at the opposite end, aheating element disposed within the casing between the two openings, afresh air inlet opening leading into the lower end of the casing. afantherein drawing air from said opening and discharging it into thecasing. the fan having a housing. a damper swingable to a position toclose said housing and open the air inlet opening 01' into a position toopen said housing to permit the discharge of air therethrough and closesaid air inlet opening, and means whereby the damper may be shifted toopen the fan housing to the interior of the casing and therebypermit theinlet of fresh air to the casing or whereby the damper may be shifted toa position closing the fan housing, and means for stopping or startingthe motor.

3. A combined ventilating and heating unit comprising a casing having adischarge opening at one end and an inlet opening at the opposite end, aheating element disposed within the casing between the two openings. afresh air inlet opening leading into the lower end of the casing, a fantherein drawing air from said opening and discharging it into thecasing, the fan having a housing a damper swingable to a position toclose said housing and disclose the air inlet opening or into a positionto open said hous- I ing to permit the discharge of air there-' throughand close said air inlet opening, and means'whereby the damper may beshifted to open the fan housing to the interior of the casing andthereby permit the inlet of fresh air to the casing or whereby thedamper may be shifted to a position closing the fan housing, and meansfor stopping or starting the motor, said means being operatedautomatically with the shifting of the damper.

4. As an article of manufacture, a heating unit for use in buildingscomprising a casing having a discharge grille at its upper end, and aninlet grille at its lower end, both of said grilles being upon the frontof the easing, a heating element disposed within said casing betweensaid grilles, the lower end of the I, casing being normally extended andadapted to constitute a. fresh air intake passage, an electric motoroperated fan disposed in the lateral extension of the casing taking itsair from said inlet passage and discharging it into the body of theeasing, and electrically operatedmeans for stopping the fan andsimultaneously cutting olf the inlet of fresh air to the interior of thecasing and allowing air to enter through the lower grille or cutting offthe entrance of air through the-lower grille starting said fan motor andpermitting the discharge of air from said fan into the casing.

As an article of manufacture, a unit for use in buildings comprising acasing having a. discharge grille at its upper end, and an inlet grilleat its lower end, a heating element disposed within said casing withinsaid grilles, the lower end of the casing being rear- Wardly extendedand adapted to constitute a fresh air intake passage, a motor operatedfan disposed in the casing and taking its air from said inlet passageand discharging it into the body of the casing, and automaticallyactuated means for'stopping the motor and simultaneously cutting OK theinlet'of fresh air to the interior of the casing and al-.

lowing air to enter through the lower grille, or cutting off theentrance of air through the lower grille and simultaneously startingsaid fan motor and permitting the discharge of air from said fan intothe casing.

6. As an article of manufacture, a unitfor use in buildings comprising acasing having a discharge grille at its upper end and an inlet grille atits lower end, a heating element disposed within the casing between saidgrilles, the lower end of the casing having a fresh air intake passageat its rear, a base plate mounted in the lower end of the casing, an airfilter supported by said base plate and through which air from said rearopening must pass, a motor operated fan disposed on said base plate, ahousing for the fan discharging into the front of the. casing, anautomatically operated damper carried by the housing, and means actingto, stop the, fan motor and automatically simultaneously close saiddamper to cut oif air from the housing and permit air to pass into thecasing through the lower grille or to start the motor and automaticallyshift the damper to a position permitting the discharge of air from thehousing and cutting off the passage Ofair into the housing through thelower grille, the filter, the fan housing, fan, motor and damper beingremovable as a unit through the front of the housin 7. A combinedventilating and heating unit including a casing havinga room confrontingfront face and a rear face, the front face of the casing having adischarge opening at its upper end and an inlet opening at its lowerend, a heating element disposed heating within the casing between saidopenings, a

fresh air inlet opening into the rear of the casing at its lower end,means disposed in said casing for drawing air through the fresh airinlet opening and forcing it up through said casing, means in oneposition preventing the passage of air from the fresh air inlet openingto the heating element and permitting the passage of air into the casingthrough the air inlet opening on the front of the easing at its lowerend and in the other position closing said last named inlet opening butpermitting the discharge of air upward into the casing from the firstnamed air inlet opening, said means in its first named position stoppingthe operation of the air drawing means in the casing, and in the secondposition starting the operation of said air drawing means. 7

8. A heating and ventilating unit comprising a casing having an airdischarge opening in its upper end on its front face and an air inletopening at the lower end of its front face, the lower end of the casinghaving a the casing, the casing providing a passage leading to saidopening, a fan housing dismeans for shifting the damper to a positionpermitting the discharge of air from the neously energizing saidsolenoid and the fan 7 housing but closing the air inlet opening of thecasing, and means for simultaneously stopping the fan motor. Y

ing unit having a fresh air inlet, a circulating air inlet and an airoutlet, of a power operated fan causing the passage of air from thefresh air inlet to the outlet, a damper in one position cutting off thefresh air inlet and opening the circulating air inlet and in anotherposition closing the circulating air inlet and opening the fresh airinlet, means acting to shift the damper to its first named position whenthe fan is stopped, and means whereby the damper is automaticallyshifted to its second-named position when the fan has started.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

EDWARD H. COX.

fresh air inlet opening on the rear face of 9. A heating unit comprisinga casing adapted to be disposed in the wall of a building, the casinghaving 'anair discharge opening at its upper front face and an air inletopening at its lower front face, the lower rear face of the casinghaving a'vfresh air,

inlet opening and the casing formin a passage leading thereto, a fanhousing isposed within said passage, and receiving air from said freshair inlet opening, a motor operated fan disposed in said housing, adamper pivotally mounted within said housing and in one position closingsaid housing and opening the air inlet opening in the front of thecasing and in the other position closing said last named opening butpermitting the discharge of air from the housing, a weight urging thedamper to a position closing said housing, a solenoid coil, a. coretherefor operatively connected to the damper, and means for simultamotoror deenergizing said solenoid and the fan motor.

10. In combination, a, ventilating and heat-

